Baby play pen



Sept. 27, 1949. c. 1.. O'NEILL BABY PLAY PEN Filed Oct. 17, 1947 INVENTOQ:

Maw M Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12,483,022

lama.v Clara L. Neill,.Blakeley Island, Ala. nttutati noctobe 17, 1947, Serial No. 180,469

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to improvements in baby play pens and has for'gitsmain purpose and object to provide a play penior babies which m'a'yeasily be moved. from room to room, or through other narrow jop'enings," without 'the, necessity of taking thebjabyfrom the pen, or dismantling the pen." I I Another advantageis that the pen will fold compactly so that it may-bejstored in.a minimum of space when not'riee'ded, and not used.

v A still furtheradvantageis'that the construction is'sj uch that-the playpen will be light in weight, yet very strong'f'and durable.

An even further advantage is that this new baby play 'pen is so constructed "that one person may move it from roo'nite, room with a fewsimple operations, pushing it as ,one would .a baby carriage, and without removing the baby from the play pen. w

r A still urtheriadvantage is thatit may be completely constructed from wood, orfrom other material if desired, nemies constructed of wood no nails or screws'need'beused; unless desired by the manufacturer; 1": V.

Another advantageis that the co'st of shipping will be low due to the lightness in weight, and. compactness of'folding. I

With these 'and' other advantages to be pointed out as we proceed; and I further described in the appended claims; we refer-to the drawings in which like partslare denotedb'ythe same reference characters throughout the several views, where'asz,

. Figure 1 is a side View .of'the baby fplay pen.

Figure 2 is an end view ofthepen.

Figure 3 is aft'op' plan'view of the -invention.

Figure l is a cross sefctional view of the construction of someloftherlfimbers as'taken at 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is anend view of theiolding floor of the playpen,

Figure 6 is a.fragmentary".cross sectional view of the corner of the .boar'd'showing the construction of the stop leverf I e I- Figure 7 is airagn'ientary view of the bottom of the floor board. I

Figure 8 is a fragmentary yiewfof the floor board showing moreparticularly thta typ hinge used to allow the'fioor boardfto fold. I Figure 9 is a top plan viewofltheplay pen, with parts broken away,showin thefapproximate folded position obtainedjto' roll the pen through the doorway or. other' '"narrow; opening. I I f Referring more pa'rticul" rly to the drawings:

Cornerpostsfl Ian ehdposts l2 compose the operative members of the play pen, said posts II and I2 being of either "square or round shape having extensions 13 on .both ends. These extensions l3 are smaller in diameter than the posts 'H and I2 and have a smooth finish to :facilitate the operating'of the playpen; Around the extensions l3 are received the ends of the top plates" or boards M, the end boards i5, side top plates or boards l6 and the side bottoni boards I], all having holes l8 to receive the extensions I3. This allows a hinged type action at the'points where these end and corner posts l2 and. H are located; No glue or other method of attachment is used to adhere'the posts H and I2 to the boards l4, l5, lfi'andl'l.

Between these posts ll and. I2 are placed vertical bars l9 at small enough intervals to pro; hibit the babys emergence between them, possibly at' intervals of from 3 to 4 inches apart. These bars I9 have extensions 20 at each end which are received in the boards l4, J5; I6, and H by means of holes 2| drilled deep enough in the boards 14, I5, l6 and I1 to accommodate the extensions, but not drilled all the' way through the boards. Glue or other adhesive is usedto firmlyattach the extensions 20 within the holes, 2l, or other methods of attachin the bars l9-t0the boards l4, l5; l6 and 11 may be used such as screws or the like. These extensions 20 firmly attached within the holes 2l'are the means of tyingtogether the top boards l4 with'the bottom boards 15, as well as the top boards 16 with the bottom boards-l1. V a

It will be noted in Figure 3 andFigure 9 that the bottom center board l5 and the bottom side board I! are wider than the other top and'bottom boards. This is for the purpose of receiving and supporting the edges of the floor board 22.

This fioor'board 22 may be constructed of plywood or othersuitable material andis madein three sections. hinged together-ontheunderside bymeans of inset hinges; 23, better .viewed in Figure 8, thus allowing-'the sides to be moved upward as may be seen in Figures 2 and 9-; One. or more dowels 24 areused in each end of the center section of the floor board 22, and are firmly attached thereto. When the floor board'22 is placed within the-frame dithe playpen the ends of the center section of the fioor board 22 rests on the bottom center end board [5 and the dowels 24 are received into'matchin'gholes25 in the bottom center end boards l5. N0 glue .or' other adhesive is used to attach thesedowels 24 within the holes 25 since the floor board 22 is'so designed that it may be completely removed from the frame of the 3 play pen and the play pen folded for storage, if such is desired.

The outside shape of the floor board 22 is matched to the inside shape formed by the placement of the vertical bars l9 and the posts i and I2. While it is thought that the play pen would best be constructed in a square shape as seen in Fig. 3, other shapes such as rectangular or octagon may be achieved by using the same principles incorporated within these specifications. In any case the ends of the center section of the floor board 22 must rest on the bottom center end boards l5 where one or more dowels 24, or thelike,

are received within matching holes 25. Until the floor board 22 is placed within the play pen, the action of the posts ii and 12 cause the pen to be pliable to the extent that it will not keep any definite shape, but with the placement of the dowels 2 5 within the holes 25 the center sections of the ends of the play pen are attached I together, the weight .of the floor board holding the dowels in place within the holes '25. The side sections of the floor board 22 are then fitted into the sides of the play pen frame, and the play pen is thus rendered static insofar as the shape of the play pen is concerned, since it is understood that the edges of the floor board 22 rest against the inside .of the vertical bars i9 and the posts H and I2.

Near the corners at one end of the side sections of the floor board 22 may be placed stop levers 26. These stop levers 26 are placed on the bottom of the floor board 22 and are attached to it by means of a dowel or dowels 21 glued or otherwise firmly attached to floor board 22. The stop lever is then placed .on the dowel 27, the end ex tending out from the attached part on the floor board 22, by the application of the insertion of the dowel in a hole or holes 39 in the stop lever 26. The inside of the hole 393 as well as the circumferential length of the dowel being finished in a manner which will allow the stop lever to rotate around the dowel 21. To keep the stop lever 26 from falling off the dowel '21, a hole 28 may be placed in the dowel 21 on the end which will extend beyond the stop lever v2%, and a cotter key or the like inserted therein. Other methods may be used in keeping the stop lever .26 from falling off the dowel 21', if the manufacturer so desires. When the floor board '22 is placed flat within the play pen frame the bottom edges of the side end boards it: will be even with the bottom edge of the floor board 22; this will allow the stop lever 25 to be moved in a circular manner as shown in Figure 7, causing the stop lever .to be placed under these side end boards thus looking the side sections of the floor board 22.

These same stop levers 26 may be used when the side sections of the floor board 22 are placed in an upward position as may best be seen in Figure 2. On the top and bottom sides of the stop lever near the unattached end may be placed. grooves 29 which are provided to facilitate the holding of stop levers 26 in the desired position. The extended ends of the stop 26 are caused to rest against either the end posts [2 or the Ver tical bars 19, next to the end posts 12, the posts 12 or bars l9 fitting into the grooves '32 thus holding the stop lever 26 in position. When the floor board 22 is placed .so that the side sections are in an upward position the side frame of the play pen may be partly folded or closed, the play pen narrower and allowing it to be rolled through an opening such as a doorway or the like. This adjustability in width may be noted in Figure 9.

This pulling together of the sides of the frame of the play pen has an effect on the upward angle of the side sections of the floor board 22. To start, the stop lever 26 is placed in an outward position so that the grooves engage the vertical bars l9 or posts l2, thus holding the side sections of the floor board 122 in an upward position, but as the sides of the frame of the play pen are closed inward pressure is applied against these side sections of the floor board 22 and they are thus forced into a more vertical position, but

are prevented from falling completely inward by these same step levers 26 since they may be as effective against one post or bar as against the next to it. As a matter of fact, if the stop lever is placed between the post l2 and the next vertical bar on its outer edge, when the stop lever 26 is placed in an outward position it will first rest on the vertical .bar 19, as may be seen in Figure 2. As the sides of the frame of the play pen are pulled inward, the pressure mentioned above will cause the extended edge of the stop lever 26 to finally rest against the post I2, where it will be held firmly in place until the sides of the frame of the play pen are again open outward, in which case the stop lever will again rest against .the vertical bar l9 .until the ,stop lever is moved into an inactive position.

Casters, rollers or the like the posts I! and I2 to allow the play pen to be rolled from place to place with ease.

In present practice when the mother or other may be attached to person desires to move the babys play pen from one room to another, or to the porch or the like, she must first remove the baby from the play pen, take the play pen apartand carry it to the desired location. This causes a loss of time, the expending of excessive effort and energy, and the leaving of the child alone while it is being accomplished. With the new baby play pen invention, none of these disadvantages are present. The baby need not be removed from the play pen, but may sit in' it while the pen is being moved without any fear of harm to the child, and without any excessive effort on the part of the mother or other person. The baby is merely placed .on the center section of the floor board 22, the side sections lifted upward with the stop 26 extended outward so that it may rest against the vertical bar H3 or the posts i2, the sides of the frame of the play pen are folded inward as may best be seen in Figure .9, and the whole play pen, with the baby therein, rolled to the place desired. This allows a great saving in time for the mother or nurse, keeps the child with her at all times, and reduces the undue effort or injury caused through the lifting of the present type play pen, and carrying them from place to place.

While I have disclosed the best form of the invention known to me at the present time I desire it to be understood that I reserve the right to alter or change my invention insofar as said alterations or changes will not conflict with the following claim.

What I claim is:

A baby play pen having intermediate end panels and sections pivotally attached to the sides of said intermediate end panels, side panels pivotally connected to the free ends of said sections to form an inclosure, a folding floor board comprising a center member and side members hinged to said center member, said center member of the floor board having dowels adapted to 555 fit into holes in said intermediate end panels, REFERENCES CITED means projecting inwardly from said side panels The following references are of record in the to support the free edges of said folding floor board, whereby the width of the play pen may file of thls patent be lessened to allow it to be transported through 5 TED STATES PATENTS a, narrow opening without necessitating the re- Number Name Date moval of the y from the p y D 4 9 131 Freid 1 1392 CLARA 1,198,475 OGorman Sept. 19, 1916 

